The Lotus Temple

Vertical Gardens

Top Tips

Brunch Delight

Seattle

Featured Living

E MAGAZINE

2013

Special Offers

Vol.1

Eggs Benedect

The Summer Destination

At Ojai- A California Home

An absolute study in symmetryand balance, the lotus temple, the place of worship of the Baha'is in New Delhi isclassified among the architectural marvels of the modern times.

Lotus temple

Glorious during day

Glorious at night

In keeping with Baha'i tradition the structure is nine sided and circular. Inspired by the lotus flower 3 rows of petals nine in each form the structure of the building. The bottom petals form the entry ways while the 2 nd row forms the sides.

An Arial View

And the third row blends into forming the roof structure. One more row of petal shaped pools create the ambienceof floating.

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Design & Decor

The sense of spaceinside and the feelingof silent harmony cannot be explainedin words.

The Bahai worship does not have altar,or sermon’s, readings from various religiousbooks are done from a simple lectern

Surrounded by 26 acres of landscaped garden in Bahapur in the National Capital Region of India. The Lotus Temple is designed by Iranian architect Fariborz Sahba whonow lives in Canada

The apex has another lotus formationin glass which can be seen only from the inside .

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Gardens & Plants

Ivy covered walls and hedges have a new relative now in vertical gardens. Inside and outside walls are scientifically planted to create sometimes simple and at other times amazing landscapes .

Vertical gardens

Freely available species of plantscan be used to make these artistic creations.

Making it the predecessor to all imaginative gardens, especially the vertical ones. Just like the Babylonians we also seem to be affected by a need to build vertically . So why not our gardens !!!

Vertical gardens......

Mesh frames or closely aligned slanted planters make very good frame work for vertical gardens.They come in handy as ornaments as well as effective cover for unsightly walls close to the building doors and windows.Succulents and rock hugging plants love to be on the vertical wall. So now don't complaint about tiny spaces that cant become gardens...go ahead and enjoy turning your wall into a vertical garden .

A Persian wife ofKing Nebuchadnezzar is supposed to have expressed her desire to see trees and vegetation as in her native hilly terrain and it resultedin the fabled hanging gardens of Babylon with well defined aqua ducts and irrigation systems in 7 th century BC.others attribute it to the King of Nineveh .Even though the exact locationhas never been found depictions were made byartists from descriptions

The most important aspect of the vertical garden that should not be overlookedis an effective drip irrigation system that is well woven into the structure .

camouflaging a Building and a high wall

Top Tips

* Wash vegetables before peeling or cutting to preserve the water soluble vitamins. * Peel vegetables as thinly as possible to preserve the minerals and vitamins.* Soak potatoes and eggplant after cutting, to avoid discoloration.* If you boil vegetables in water, do not throw the water, keep it to make gravies. * To avoid browning of apples after cutting, apply a little lemon juice on the cut surface. The apples will stay and look fresh for a longer time.* Keep coriander leaves in a muslin (cheese) cloth bag in the refrigerator. They will remain fresh for a longer time.* Remove the stems of green chilies while storing them .This will help them to stay fresh for long.* After peeling onions cut in half and soak in water for about 10 minutes before cutting to avoid crying.* Soak almonds in a cup of boiling water for 10 minutes .The skin will peel off easily. * Chopping vegetables can be done in different ways using a sharp knife and a wooden chopping board. Cutting on a marble slab will blunt your knives.* Remove the outer leaves and husks from the corn (bhutta). Holding the corn upright with the flat end firmly in a board, take a sharp knife and run it down between the kernels and the cob to strip them away. * Wrap the fruits and vegetables in newspaper before refrigerating to keep them fresh for long.* Chopping dry fruits - Freeze them first for one hour & then dip the knife into hot water before cutting them.

Tips On Cutting & Peeling :

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Menu 1

Eggs Benedict( with cheese for vegetarians, smoked salmon or ham or bacon for others)Orange juiceCoffee

Eggs Benedict is an all time brunch favorite . Attributed to the matre' de hotel of hotel Waldorf at Manhattan, Newyork in the 1940s and named after a frequent customer a wallstreet broker, the dishhas become a favorite with the cosmopolitan world.Fresh brewed coffee smells blending with crisp fried bacon or smoked ham or salmon on toasted Engish muffins or simple hamburger buns with poached egg and hollandaise sauce and your favorite fruit juice. Yummmm! All served with love..what a delicious way to start off your week end.

IngredientsAll what you need for this is 1. Eggs2. English Muffins ( or Hamburger Buns)3. Cheese ,bacon or smoked salmon or ham 4.Lime,a dash of pepper, a sprig of parsley & cherry tomatoes if available for the looks. Can't believe it ?You will once you go through this

The part that needs a little care is the hollandaise sauce.But with a little attention one can master itThe recipe is as follows.

Hollandaise Sauce1. Butter 1 cup slightly warmed in the microwave. (The butter should be warm and runny but not hot.) 2. Egg yolks - 4 nos. 3. Cold water- 1 Tbsp 4. Lemon juice- 2 tbsp 5. Salt, to taste (if the butter salted avoid salt) 6. White pepper powder (or a dash of Tabasco sauce), to tasteUtensils required1. A saucepan with an inch or two of simmering water2. A bowl — either glass or stainless steel, but not aluminumthat will fit into the saucepan3. A balloon whisk or an electric beater

Method1. combine the egg yolks and the cold water in the glass or stainless steel bowl and whisk until light and frothy. Add a few drops of lemon juice also and whisk2.Keep the bowl in the saucepan with a trivet so that the bowl does not touch the water but is being warmed by the slow steam.3. Continue to Whisk the Yolks Until Slightly Thickened4.Remove From Heat and Begin Adding Butter slowly at first, a few drops at a time, while whisking constantly. If you add it too quickly, the emulsion will break.As the sauce thickens, you can gradually increase the rate at which you add the butter.and the sauce will start thickening.5. Whisk in the remaining lemon juice and season to taste with salt and pepper (or Tabasco sauce which is my personal preference) The finished hollandaise sauce will have a smooth, firm consistency. If it's too thick, you can adjust the consistency by whisking in a few drops of warm water.Hollandaise is a wonderfully rich, lemony and buttery sauce that goes beautifully with eggs, vegetables and poached eggs It is best to use the sauce with in an hour of making it..at the most two.

Before I start poaching the egg I usually set the table with my brunch table ware.You can get your enthusiastic youngsters ora doting spouse also to do that.Then if you are coffee drinkers ,it is best to start the coffee brewing and let the aroma set the mood.You can opt for a home made citrus juice or open a tetra pack as you chose , but don't forget a sprig of mint to make it specialSplit the muffins into two and toast the cut sides on a flat pan .spread each slice with a little butter Place either smoked salmonor fried bacon or a thick layer of cheese spread as per your taste onto the toasted muffin halves . Place them side by side on to the individual plates.slide the poached eggs onto the top of each . Pour a generous spoon of hollandaise sauce on them . Place roasted tomato halves and parsley

How to Fry bacon in the micro waveUse an oven proof plate and place apaper towel on it spread the bacon strips side by onside on the paper and cover it with another paper towel and cook on high for twominitues .then do another minitue and let it stand for a couple of minituesbefore serving

How to Poach your eggs in the microwavein an oven proof. Katori or desert dish. Take a corning ware katori or desert dish (use a poacher if you haveone.) Pour 1/4 cup water into it. Add a few drops of vinegar.Put in the microwave for 30 seconds medium. Break an egg carefully into it .gently prick the yellow on one or two spots . Cover the dish with a cling film and microwave foranother 30 seconds. Let it stand for another 30 . You can poach 3 to 6 eggs together in the microwave depending on the size of thekatori and microwave. Allow 30 secs per egg.Gently drain out the water by sliding the egg on to a spatula withholes. Slip it on top of the bacon or salmon or cheese spread as you chose on the toasted muffin.

How to RoastTomatoes in the microwave Slice Tomatoes lengthwise into two halves, smear one spoon of oil,mixed with crushed garlic, salt and a little bit of pepper. Place themon a cut size up in an oven proof dish and cover with cling film and microwave at high for 3 minutes.

Summer is just 6 months away .And what could be the best get away for a holiday.We choose Seattle, Victoria and Vancouver as one of the best destinations.When the sun gets hot elsewhere British Columbia starts blooming. The snow on the mountains are still there bringing in cool breeze. Last summer a family wedding took us to Seattle . So it was an opportunity not to be missed in seeing Victoria and Vancouver .

Seattle Victoria Vancouver

Seattle is known for its unpredictable weather which is usually compared to the English weather. And we had little hope for a clear day. But the weather Gods were in favor and the days were sunny and beautiful. Mount Rainier was clearly visible above the skyline.

11

Destinations

The pike market was busy with tourists and very nice restaurants and became a perfect setting for our lunch. There was a huge crowd in front of the first Starbucks place and we gave that a miss,This was an excellent experience especially because we were a large group of family and friends.Down town Seattle has excellent hotels and you are sure to get good rates booking through agents.

Evening was reserved for dinner cruise on the bay.

The cruise went past the water front homesof the Seattle elite, the setting sun reflectedoff the glass panes of the houses,making dramatic change to the scenary

The view of the downtown and warf as thecruise boat pulls out.

but went to see the salmon jump upstream against strong flow.

12

Destinations

Off to Victoria.. There is a little island called Victoria between Seattle and Vancouver which can be usedas a port of entry to Canada .A fast boat service called Victoria Clipper takes you across the sea in 2 hours and 45 minutes.

Deep sapphire blue waters and white foam made by the high speed ferry makes an excellent foreground forreceding Seattle .A good weatherproof jacketand shades for your eyes are a must to enjoy standing onthe rear deck of the Clipperto enjoy the sea and the spray not to mention the view..

13

Destinations

Victoria in July is a city hiding among flowers.

We went through Saffire blue waters, surrounded by snow capped mountaints and itwas difficult to believethat it is July.At Victoria you go through the tiniest custom and emigration clearance I have seen in these borders.There are cabs waiting totake you into town and you can easily get one at reasonable rates.

Where ever you look there are baskets of flowers hung from even lampposts. Each of these baskets were a veritable gardenin itself sporting at least 20 different types of plants.Gardens,whale watch and the fantastic trip to Vancouver through the sounds on the ferry... In the next issue

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Featured Living

A California home in Ojai.Warm and sunny California where the mountain meets the sea,where nature splurgein showing off her glory ,where man is inspired to create grand movies and great software ,where orchards and farms stretch beyond where eyes can see.. Away from the huzzle and buzzle of tinsel town Los Angeles ,in the hills is Ojai ( pronounced Ohai) where discrete celebrities have homes.

The living area is spacious and the high ceilings had sun roofs streaming light into the room.The large sliding glass doors gave the impression of being one with the garden even with the doors closed

We were invited to stay with an old school friend in this neighborhood.Most of the properties in this areais large and well hidden from the traffic.Our friend Lauren's house perche'd on a little hill with landscaped gardens allaround.

15

Featured Living

Bowers and tents and barbecues in the garden pointed to the loveof being among natural settings. A place to relax or even retire....

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